British sprinter sets down marker for Tokyo OlympicsLaura Muir powers to victory in women’s 1500mOn a night billed as a dress-rehearsal for the women’s 100m Olympic final in Tokyo, Dina Asher-Smith proved a compelling starring act. In brutal and biting conditions more akin to winter than Whitsun, she powered home to leave a string of top-quality sprinters flailing in her slipstream.
Asher-Smith had promised that she was stronger than ever after working hard during the pandemic, and she proved as good as her word as she came through in 11.35sec. To the casual observer, that time may have seemed nothing special – it is nearly half a second outside her
British record. But given it was into driving rain and a -3.1 m/s headwind, it was quietly spectacular.